Understanding Traffic Sources

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   Aficionadaposted 12 years ago

   Ever since the switch to subdomains, I have seen specific subdomain names listed on the traffic stats for individual Hubs; and on the Traffic Sources Page, the numbers for HubPages have seemed to decline (understandably). 
   
   Recently, I have seen higher numbers for HubPages.com, and I don't understand why that would be.  How do people view a Hub in such a way that HP (rather than a subdomain) is listed as the traffic source?

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2. 83

   psycheskinnerposted 12 years ago

   The clearest data for traffic comes from Adsense or by installing Google analytics. Then you see the actual traffic with urls and search terms used by each visitor.

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      Aficionadaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, I understand and realize that.  Thanks for responding.
      
      I really am just trying to figure out how to understand what that figure on my Traffic Sources page means.  For example, would it mean that a visitor (unsigned-in) came to the HP home page, then from there came to one of my Hubs?  That's the strongest explanation that has occurred to me, but I wondered if another possibility might present itself.
      
      I'll check with Analytics to see whether it will shed any light on that peculiar bit of data.

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3. 83

   psycheskinnerposted 12 years ago

   Perhaps you got a boost of those from being on the front page or answering a popular question, or something like that.
   
   By looking at the detailed url data that gives the exact url, not just the top domain it is under, you would know for sure.  That is what I was suggesting.

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   1. 80

      Aficionadaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you.

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      1. 96

         PaulGoodman67posted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I've had the same thing recently in the last few days.  I think it's a side effect of technical work that google are doing myself.

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   robynaposted 12 years ago

   Sorry to butt in on this conversation but I am still learning the ropes here. How do we see where people are coming from? I can see my traffic sources but not keywords, etc. Do we need to install Google Analytics for each Hub we publish?

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   1. 82

      Wesman Todd Shawposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      No.
      
      You just sign up for Google Analytics - it's a Google Account, it's not something you install.
      
      You can damned near find out how many sex partners your traffic has had in the past month with Google Analytics.
      
      It's just that deep.
      
      So far as you seeing keywords from your individual hub stats - that takes a while for Hubpages to collect and record for you.  If you aren't showing traffic from any search engines on your individual hubs yet - then you won't see keywords.  It usually takes at least a day for me to see keywords on hub stats - after the first search engine users have landed on my individual hubs.
      
      Hope I've been somewhat useful ...

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         IzzyMposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Where do I look to find out who the sex partners were of my visitors? Just wondering...

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            Wesman Todd Shawposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            It's there!
            
            Analytics can tell you if they've had STD's or not - very useful traffic info....

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5. 80

   Aficionadaposted 12 years ago

   Hi Robyna - Sorry I missed your post earlier.  I thought the thread had died.
   
   I am not the greatest at telling anyone how to work with Google Analytics.  I think that you need to set up a channel for each Hub, but recently I saw someone post that that may not be necessary.  I hope someone else will answer you!
   
   I have a new question myself, though.  (Technically not quite on the same topic as the OP.)
   
   Today, my HP traffic stats show a major bump (on a Saturday, yet!).  So far, it's the highest ever.
   
   I went to Analytics to see what was listed there (for yesterday, since today is not shown yet), and the figure for yesterday was about twice as much as it ever has been before!  Not only that, but the amount listed was much higher than my HP stats had shown yesterday.  How is that possible? (Usually it's the opposite.)  I'm really hoping it's not a Google-glitch, but concerned that it could be.

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      wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Probably to when the data is collected.  If you look at HP stats at 10 PM, there is still 5 (? till 1 PST) hours to go until google ends its day.  Hp stats are rolling stats, too, covering the last 24 hours, not per day figures.
      
      I have, very occasionally, found analytics higher than HP.  Seldom, but it happens, usually when traffic is rapidly changing from the day before.

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6. 57

   Dame Scribeposted 12 years ago

   @Aficionada, we all get traffic drops and surges plus the big 'G' has been doing their own site updates lately which might explain the sudden 'bumps'. Enjoy it while it lasts
   
   @Robyna, get yourself a Google analytics acount. you can list urls as channels which will show which ones get the most traffic. I'm not totally familiar with too much else either so don't feel badly

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7. 85

   rebekahELLEposted 12 years ago

   I'm not totally sure about this but the hubpages.com views could come from someone clicking on a hub from the feed or the topics category, home page..
   
   Views coming from specific sub domains could also include anyone clicking on related hubs/links from that hub page. If I'm reading one of your hubs and click on a related hub, I believe the view showing on the related hub would come from your sub domain, not the viewer, because I'm arriving from your sub domain. Does that make sense? It doesn't necessarily mean the specific hubber of that domain viewed the hub.  I may be wrong, but that's how I understand it.

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      wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That is correct.  Plus, there are various places HP puts links that would be from HP, not from a subdomain.  The feed or topics you mention, the hub hopper, "best hubs", education category, etc.  They really do spread out the links to our hubs - always a good thing.

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8. 80

   Aficionadaposted 12 years ago

   Re: my initial question --
   
   
   These responses sound like likely explanations.  Several locations I had not considered...
   
   Re: my secondary question --
   
   
   
   
   Since Sunday was a noticeable drop from Saturday for me (on Analytics), I think these latter explanations (site update, rapidly changing traffic, technical issues) are the most likely reasons for the odd surge.  I think the traffic was there, but just recorded weirdly.  I'll definitely be watching the next few days to see how the numbers show up.
   
   Thanks, everyone, for your ideas!

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      janderson99posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      How does the new Ad Program affect Google Analytics?
      
      Now that HP runs most of the Google Adsense ads does this mean that the analytics data only relates to the one ad that is paid directly to the writer or is the data still relevant for ALL the ads and the traffic. Obviously the link between Analytics and Adsense will be less relevant as it will not include data for the 3 new Adsense ads run by HP.

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      1. 80

         Aficionadaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Less relevant - maybe, probably, ... ?
         
         Still, the question I had was why the GA traffic number was much, much larger than what the HP (traffic) stats number showed.  I don't know whether the Ad Program would have that sort of effect.  Could it?  I would have thought the reverse might be more likely.

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